Learning Curve
by Shini02
Summary: Destane's returned to power and spares Mozenrath's life on one condition: Aladdin must take his place as his apprentice. Eventual MozenrathxAladdin.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** for toadstoolcouch of LJ/MWaters of dA. 3

**Disclaimer:** Disney owns it, I'm just playing with it.

* * *

**One  
**

"Now, this is just _pathetic_," crooned a voice from somewhere above the mamluk, causing the undead creature to look. Stiff joints cracked and popped as he searched the sky for the intruding noise, but he could find no source of it, causing only confusion to surge through his simple mind.

"Destane," came the voice again, "am I right?"

The mamluk groaned in response, partially frustrated, but mostly surprised to be recognized. His brow furrowed as he watched two eyes appear in the sky, followed by a mouth that grinned wide and mischievously at him.

"Once the most powerful sorcerer of the Seven Deserts," said the mouth, "reduced to rotting flesh and brittle bones."

The mamluk groaned again, louder this time, as though actually trying to form words, despite his mouth being sewn shut. This was only cause for amusement for the entity hovering above him, and the laughter sounding from that disembodied mouth was only cause for more aggravation.

"Oh, don't take that tone with me," said the mouth as a face materialized behind it, followed by a body. Chaos was only amused further to see the dead eyes of the mamluk widen, as though with acknowledgment, understanding suddenly just whom this being before him was. Even in this state, he _knew_, and he _feared_.

"You know me!" Chaos mused, stretching in the air. "I'm flattered! But enough about me, I'm here for _you_."

Whatever sense Destane had left in him told him to at least try and get away, though before he could so much as move one dead muscle, Chaos was behind him, chin to his frail shoulder. The mamluk cast a cautious glance toward the feline, choosing to remain in place against his better judgment. If he actually tried to escape now, the things Chaos could, and likely _would_, do to him were far worse than anything Mozenrath could come up with, and that was saying something, all things considered.

"About your Kingdom," Chaos said, pulling away only so he could circle Destane, taking slow, calculated and lazy steps through the air. "Well, to be quite frank, it's boring. Always has been, really." He stopped in front of Destane after he'd completely one full circle, one corner of his mouth curling in a lopsided grin, one that made even Destane's bones quiver.

"I don't like boring, Destane," he went on, sitting in the air now, tail swaying behind him. "I don't like it at all."

Having a hard enough time processing all that was happening, Destane could only manage a feebly nod, letting Chaos know he at least understood what he was saying.

"Something has to be done about that," Chaos said, and his eyes began to glow. "What say we _liven _things up some, hm?"

Destane barely had time to register the question, nevermind the fact that the God's eyes were glowing, before he was enveloped in a sphere of magic. It surged through him, and when the stitches were removed from his lips, he screamed as he was changed. As his consciousness returned to him, he acknowledged that he was being remade into the man he had been prior to Mozenrath's takeover. He could feel it, the strengthening of muscle and bone and flesh, the rotten blood beginning to pump through his veins once more, the stale air being forced from aching lungs.

When the magic was finished him, he collapsed into a heap on the hot sand. It had become second nature to expect something to fall off, but when everything remained intact, he let out a bark of relieved laughter. Slowly, he looked up to Chaos, whom was now laying on his back in the air, obviously amused as he watched him upside down.

"Why?" asked Destane, voice cracked from not being properly used in so long. "Why would you do this for me?"

Chaos flipped over, then lowered himself to the ground, sitting in front of the sorcerer. "As the saying will _eventually_ go, for shits and giggles," he chuckled.

The phrase was lost on Destane, but he didn't spend a particularly long amount of time dwelling on it. He was whole again – to an extent. Chaos had given him back his will, his magic, and his body, but his skin was still green, and everything inside was rancid. He could have asked why, but knew better than to; he knew this condition was another means of amusement, another wrinkle to be worked around.

"_Don't_ disappoint me," Chaos warned, before disappearing in a cloud of blue smoke, leaving only his laughter behind.

* * *

Mozenrath all but growled as Aladdin dodged one of his attacks, rolling expertly to the side and then getting back on his feet in less time than the young sorcerer would have preferred.

"Why won't you just surrender?" he yelled, walking fast-paced toward the smug street rat. "It would make our lives so much easier!"

Aladdin laughed, shaking his head. "Maybe I don't want to make your life easy, Mozenrath," he taunted before launching himself toward the approaching and infuriated wizard. It was easy to knock him to the ground, though keeping him down and his right hand out of commission was another story all together. Mozenrath was, by no means, equal to Aladdin in strength, but he was known to have bursts of energy when provoked, making it difficult for Aladdin to actually keep a hold on him long enough to get to the gauntlet.

Unfortunately for Aladdin, he'd more than provoked the Lord of the Black Sands this day. It was bad enough he'd managed to get wind of Mozenrath's latest scheme, worse that he'd shown up in time to thwart said scheme and destroy his latest magical minion, but now the boy just wouldn't quit. He'd taken it a step further, deciding today would be the day he'd take the gauntlet as well, and this time he wouldn't bury it in the sand. No, Aladdin had every intention of taking it, and finding a way to destroy it.

Aladdin's hand was subsequently tangled with his own as they fought for physical domination, and it took less than a second for Mozenrath to send a wave of electrifying magic through his foe, causing Aladdin to recoil.

"And maybe I don't want to make yours easy, either, street rat," Mozenrath crooned as he hoisted himself to his knees and reached for Aladdin's vest, pulling him close. "In fact, I think I'd much rather inflict as much pain and suffering as I possibly can!"

Aladdin braced himself with a hand to Mozenrath's chest, eyes flickering between the gauntlet as it began to glow and the sorcerer's face. If he was about to get out of this, he'd have think fast; Genie was not an option, as he and and Carpet were dealing with an exceptionally large onslaught of mamluks not too far away, but far _enough_.

However, his rapid thought process was brought to a halt when he felt the ground begin to tremble. Thick stone walls shot out from the sand, effectively encasing the two.

"What's going on _now_?" Mozenrath ground out, sighing as he looked about their stone prison.

"You mean, you didn't do this?" Aladdin inquired, eyebrow cocked.

The sorcerer rolled his eyes, as though it should have been obvious. This, after all, wasn't his style. "No."

Aladdin waited for a moment, and when Genie didn't make some sort of grand entrance or another, he mumbled, "well, this isn't Genie's doing, either."

"Great. This is exactly what I need," Mozenrath sighed as he looked up, though never released his hold on Aladdin. "A third-party butting … in … and …"

What Aladdin identified first as confusion on Mozenrath's face steadily gave way to shock, and then nothing short of horror. He skewed his face, daring to ask, "what?"

"Destane," came the whispered respond, though it seemed to Aladdin as though Mozenrath was speaking more to himself than to him.

"_What_ ?" Aladdin repeated the question, this time a little louder, hoping to snap Mozenrath out of whatever state of shock he'd been sent into.

It was only when he was literally shoved away did Aladdin finally look up to see the cause of the other man's distress. To say he was surprised and confused to see another man standing atop one of the stone walls was putting it lightly.

"Destane?" he questioned, but judging from the way Mozenrath was gaping at the newcomer, he didn't an answer.

"But, how? I thought you – "

"Would you just shut up?" Mozenrath snapped, and his voice cracked in a way Aladdin had never heard before. Once Aladdin was silenced, he felt compelled to ask the same question.

"H-how? There's no way – "

"Ah, my boy," Destane crooned, a wicked smile on his cracked lips, "there's always a _way_."

"No," Mozenrath said, and his voice steadily rose as he repeated the word. "No, no, no! I took everything from you – _everything_ – "

"Yes, but someone was kind enough to give most of it back," Destane chuckled, fists glowing with dark magic. Whether it was to prove a point or make a threat, Mozenrath didn't know, nor did he care; he wouldn't give Destane the chance to do either.

Channeling a good portion of his magic through the gauntlet, he aimed for Destane. The blast traveled true, only to be met with an equally powerful blast from Destane, which nullified both spells in the process.

"Is that the best you can do, even with the gauntlet on, boy?" Destane laughed, shaking his head. "Or has it begun to get the better of you already?"

When Mozenrath said nothing, Destane grinned. "Oh, my. What a pity. I'd been hoping to do away with you while in your prime. An eye for an eye, you know? But, I suppose this will have to do."

He leapt to the ground, using magic to ease the fall and land steady on his feet. It was too easy to back Mozenrath into a corner and seize his right hand. Perhaps, had the boy not been so shocked, he would have been able to put up more of a fight, but circumstances being what they were, Destane was able to pry the cursed leather from his hand with little effort.

"Don't just stand there!"

Aladdin's voice caused both Destane and Mozenrath to look toward him.

"Aladdin?" Mozenrath asked, unsure of what to make of the situation now. Aladdin had helped him before, albeit it not entirely of his own free will, but things had never been like this. Not even with Khartoum.

"Aladdin?" Destane echoed, then brought his full attention to the other boy. The memory was vague, but he could remember this boy. Mozenrath had brought him home to collar the thirdak. He'd recognized potential in him than, and he could still see it now.

"Just let him go," Aladdin said boldly, motioning to Mozenrath. "You have your stupid gauntlet. He's powerless now! And killing him won't prove anything!"

"It would _prove_ satisfactory," Destane mused.

"Then," Aladdin said, closing the distance between them as he placed himself in front of Mozenrath, "you'll have to go through me."

"Fool!" Mozenrath hissed into his ear.

"You would put your life on the line for one who has been your enemy and nothing more?" Destane inquired.

"I would," Aladdin said sternly.

"Then, my young hero, I've a proposition for you."

"Go on."

Destane held the gauntlet out to Aladdin. "Be my apprentice, and he lives."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then it's really rather simple," Destane said with a cruel chuckle. "You _both_ die, here and now."

Had Genie not been preoccupied with Mozenrath's mamluks, perhaps there may have been some other way out of this, but that was hardly the case. Aladdin truly only had two options at this point, and the choice he made was by far one of the hardest he had ever made in his life.

He took the gauntlet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

"So," Jasmine said quietly, eyes wandering from the polished floor of her chamber to the djinn floating in front of her, "you're saying Mozenrath took Aladdin?"

"Again," Iago griped.

Genie couldn't be bothered to glare at the bird, deciding it was best to ignore him for the time being. "Something like that. Jas, there was a huge power surge out there before Al went missing with the Wiz Kid, and when I tried to follow, I couldn't get passed the boarder." He paused, shoulders slumping as he lowered himself to the floor, blue smoke bending as knees would. Pressing an elbow to his wispy lower half and resting his cheek in his palm, he frowned up at the Princess.

"If that was Mozenrath's power, it's safe to say he's become stronger somehow, and everything else was just a decoy."

"There's nothing you can do?" Jasmine asked, sliding off the bed to kneel in front of Genie.

"Not without help from the inside," Genie scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"And the chances that happens are zero to none!" Iago quipped, though again, he was ignored.

"We'll figure this out," the Jasmine assured the semi-phenomenal being, placing one hand to his arm reassuringly.

Genie managed a weak smile for her, nodding once. "Don't we always?"

There was no solid doubt in his mind they would thwart whatever diabolical plan was being hatched in the Land of the Black Sand and get Aladdin back home, safe, sound and in one piece. That wasn't at all what was grating at Genie's mind. It was the fact that between now and then, a lot could happen. Things he'd rather not think about, but had to contemplate because in situations like this, all bases had to be covered.

* * *

In the throne room, Aladdin stood before Destane with Mozenrath at his side. It was unnerving to say the least, standing there in silence with the half-dead sorcerer's eyes darting back and forth between the two of them, but Aladdin refused to falter. Unlike Mozenrath, whom was currently fixated with the stone floor, Aladdin met Destane's gaze every time those devilish eyes fell upon him.

"Those scraps won't do," Destane murmured, though mostly to himself as he looked Aladdin over once again. "They will not do at all."

Aladdin had little time to ask what Destane meant before the older man snapped his fingers. A magic swept over him, similar in its airiness to Genie's when he'd given him the attire of a prince, though he hadn't failed to notice the overwhelming sense of dread it cast upon him as well. Looking down, he'd noticed his vest had been altered; the material was heavier and the shoulders padded, pointed corners reaching up and out. His pants, not so baggy anymore, were no longer off-white, but pristine in color. The sash around his waist had been renewed as well, made darker.

"Better, but we're not there yet," Destane went on. "Mozenrath."

"Yes?" Mozenrath looked up and replied in record time, and Aladdin could only assume it was an old habit that hadn't quite died yet.

Destane rose a brow. "Yes, _what_?"

Aladdin saw Mozenrath's jaw clench briefly before he muttered, "yes, _Master_?"

Nodding, Destane grinned. "Your headdress. Give it to him. Such finery hardly suits you."

Without a word, Mozenrath took the turban from his head with his left hand and held it out to Aladdin. When the street rat hesitate, he shoved it hard against his chest.

"Take it," he demanded, though it almost sounded pleading. _Almost_.

Swallowing hard, Aladdin took the turban into his own hands, unable to do much but stare at it for a few moments. It was trivial, just a piece of clothing – an accessory – but to take this from Mozenrath felt wrong.

"Put it on," Mozenrath snapped, actually causing Aladdin to give a jerk as his train of thought was derailed.

Nodding once and mumbling an "okay," Aladdin removed his fez and replaced it with the heavier headdress.

"And one more thing," Destane all but crooned. He didn't wait for Aladdin to make an inquiry, simply tossed the gauntlet to him, even chuckling as the boy's reflexes refused to let the cursed leather fall to the floor.

"I've drained a good portion of its power," the sorcerer explained, "as a precaution of sorts. I was reckless when last I allowed it into another's hands," here he looked at Mozenrath, shaking his head as though scolding him. "I won't make that mistake again, no. As you learn, I will grant an increase in power."

"Y-Yes, Sir," Aladdin said, though made no effort to put the gauntlet on. He'd felt its power before, when Mozenrath had tried to switch bodies with him, and he hadn't like it. Whatever magic was weaved into the glove was like poison for the very soul, and it spread horrifically fast.

"What are you waiting for, Aladdin?" came Destane's reminder that he did, in fact, have to wear the gauntlet.

Aladdin shook his head, choosing to remain silent as he slid the gauntlet over his hand. The cool leather warmed almost immediately, and that familiar tug and pull of power began not long after. He swallowed hard and flexed his hand, praying Destane wouldn't notice the way he was suddenly trembling.

"Very good," Destane said, heaving himself up to stand. "Now, there's just one more thing to be taken care of before we can all settle in comfortably."

Feeling more obliged than interested, Aladdin looked toward the older sorcerer as he approached both he and Mozenrath. He didn't dare ask what, fearing perhaps that may have counted as speaking out turn, so all he could do was take a step back and watch with wide eyes as Destane took Mozenrath by the collar and pulled him forward.

"We were interrupted earlier, weren't we, boy?" he mused, and Mozenrath said nothing in response. Destane chuckled briefly before reeling one arm back, then planting his knuckles against Mozenrath's cheek with enough force to send the young man stumbling backward.

" You thought I would let you off so easily?" Destane went on, closing whatever distance he'd subsequently formed between them too quickly for Mozenrath's liking. Another punch to the face, and this time Mozenrath lost his footing, much to Aladdin's horror.

"For what you did to me," Destane said, and reached for the collar again, pulling Mozenrath to his feet, "you deserve punishments worse than death. Perhaps we should take a trip back to solitary?"

At this, Aladdin noticed Mozenrath's fists clench.

" Ah, yes. You remember. But then, how could you possibly forget?" Destane pressed on. "The dark, the silence – the _madness_."

"Shut up," Mozenrath muttered through clenched teeth, and that was all it took to set Destane off once more. He shoved the younger man back, and this time when he raised a fist, it was glowing with a crimson aura.

"Wait!" Aladdin called out suddenly, before Destane's fist could meet with Mozenrath's stomach. "Y-you said you wouldn't kill him."

"You'd be surprised what he can live through," Destane mumbled, though lowered his fist. "Remind me again why I shouldn't."

Aladdin thought of informing him that had been part of the deal, but figured that would be useless, as villains rarely kept their word to begin with. So, thinking fast, he tried another approach.

"He could, you know, handle the grunt work. Cooking, cleaning – "

"Slavery," Destane said, and there was something in the way he said the word made Aladdin's stomach somersault.

"Right," he replied, looking to Mozenrath, whom refused to meet either gaze at this point. "He could... be our slave."

"Very well then," Destane agreed, then turned on his heel and headed back to the throne. However, before he could reach the stone chair, a hiss from behind brought him to a stand-still.

"No slave!" Xerxes protested, causing Mozenrath to wince. If the eel had only remained hidden and silent as he had told him to when they first entered the citadel.

"That worm is still trailing you, is it, Mozenrath?" Destane inquired, still not turning around.

"Xerxes," Mozenrath called hesitantly, "come!"

"No!" Xerxes said, twirling in the air to face his Master now. He shook his head, as though to affirm there would be no changing his mind. "Master not slave!" He turned to face Destane, eyes narrowing as he hissed in a tone Aladdin had never heard the eel use before, "he is slave."

"Xerxes! Silence yourself!" Mozenrath ordered, but the eel was still refusing to obey, too caught up in trying to defend his Master and only friend.

"Oh, no," Destane drawled as he slowly turned around again, eyebrow raised in amusement as he looked toward his former apprentice's familiar. "Let him speak his mind. What little he has of one, anyway."

And just like that, whatever courage the small creature had felt moments before fled, and he whimpered as he made a move to back up, to find sanctuary behind Mozenrath once more. Except, he never made it that far. Destane's hand shot out like lightning and wrapped tight around his midsection.

"Not so brave now, are you?" the sorcerer inquired, then smirked passed him to Mozenrath. "I wonder how you will fare without this thing around?"

It chilled Aladdin to the bone to actually see Mozenrath falter, to stumble over his words as he tried in vain to reason with Destane.

"Master – don't – I – "

It was suddenly very clear to the street rat just how much the small eel meant to Mozenrath. Though the wizard may have never shown it, the bond between them could have likely rivaled Aladdin and Abu's. With that suddenly in mind, watching this scene play out before him was becoming increasingly difficult.

"I will strip you of everything," Destane said in a low tone, and in an instant Xerxes vanished from his grasp.

The sound that escaped Mozenrath was quiet and weak, but even so it made Aladdin's heart freeze up. Never had he thought he'd see his greatest rival reduced to such a state. It was pathetic and, in a sense, frightening.

"Get him out of my sight," Destane said, heading back toward the throne. "And have him show you to your room, as well."

* * *

They walked in silence to the room that would be Aladdin's, the room that, just hours ago, had belonged to Mozenrath. Once inside, Aladdin sighed and took the headdress off, tossing it toward the large bed and leaning back against the nearest wall. He ran a hand through his hair, the rested it against the back of his neck as he kept his eyes on the floor.

"I – I'm sorry," he apologized.

Mozenrath scoffed. "Victors shouldn't apologize to the defeated," he muttered.

"Victor?" Aladdin echoed, looking up to meet Mozenrath's dark stare. "What are you talking about?"

"Whether you meant to or not, by handing me over to him you've taken everything from me, Aladdin. My kingdom, my power, my freedom. Even Xerxes," Mozenrath said, continuing to speak quietly. "You've won, finally."

"I didn't think it would be like this," Aladdin admitted. "But I couldn't let him kill you – "

"That's the problem with you hero types!" Mozenrath snapped all of a sudden. "You never stop to think that perhaps there are fates worse than death, but Allah forbid you should let a life flicker out."

"Mozenrath – "

"You should have let him kill me. To die, even if it were by his hand, would be better than to serve him again."

Aladdin bit his bottom lip as he crossed the short distance between himself and Mozenrath. Cautiously, he placed a hand to his shoulder. "I need you alive," he told him, barely above a whisper. "You know him, his strengths and weaknesses, and if we work together, we can beat him."

Mozenrath was silent for a few seconds before he reached out, taking Aladdin's gloved hand into his skeletal one. "Just give me back the gauntlet. Even if it isn't at full power, I know how to use it better than you ever will. I can defeat him on my own."

It was an action that made Aladdin's skin crawl, but he removed his left hand from Mozenrath's shoulder and took hold of the bony wrist, easing out of the rigid grasp.

"No," Aladdin said, and tried to tell himself he was saying this out of chivalry, and that it had nothing to do with the power gently coursing through his very soul at the moment. "You have to trust me."

"Me? Trust you?" Mozenrath shook his head, sighing as he pulled his hand from Aladdin's grip. "I've apparently no choice in the matter, do I?"

Aladdin smirked. "Not really," he said, then reached for Mozenrath's hand again. He looked the bones over for a few moments, trying very hard not to let his discomfort show.

"What are you doing?" Mozenrath asked.

"We can't leave your hand like this," Aladdin said, brow furrowing as he started to look around the room.

"It's suffered worse than the elements, I assure you," Mozenrath quipped dryly, though when Aladdin let go again, he instinctively hid the bony appendage behind his back. He watched curiously as Aladdin made his way around the room, picked something up off a shelf, then came back to him. He held out a hand, looking expectantly at Mozenrath.

"Give me your hand," Aladdin said.

"For what?"

Aladdin held out his other hand, displaying some a roll of bandages. "It isn't much, but it'll have to do," he explained."

Mozenrath said nothing as he allowed Aladdin to take his ruined hand again. He watched as the bandages unraveled and as Aladdin worked them gently around his bones until they were completely covered. When Aladdin was finished, Mozenrath stepped back and looked the limb over, if only to keep his eyes off the younger boy. Nobody had ever done something like that for him before, and the trivial gesture brought forth a feeling of gratitude in him. One he was quick to crush.


End file.
